A particular view of the Canyon de Chelly National Monument will before long become off - demarcation line to tourists , after a determination to prohibit commercial-grade air tours of the expanse , believed to be one of the long , continuously - inhabited areas in North America .

The National Park Service ( NPS ) and the Federal Aviation Administration ( FAA ) announce on Friday , December 20 that they have completed their Air Tour Management Plan ( ATMP ) and Environmental Assessment ( EA ) of the home repository , in Northeastern Arizona . As part of the plan , the authorities decided to prohibit all commercial-grade tune tours over the parkland , stretch out up to 0.8 kilometer ( 0.5 miles ) of the Mungo Park ’s boundary . From June 17 , 2025 , 180 days after the accord was signed , arial tours of the parking area will cease .

for carry tours by helicopter or planer , operators must follow with the National Park Air Tour Management Act of 2000 .

" The Act requires operators wish to behave commercial air tours over internal park , or over tribal domain within or abutting national parking lot , to lend oneself to the FAA for authority to carry such tours , " theFAA explainson their web site . " The Act further requires FAA , in cooperation with the National Park Service , to establish air tour management programme for Mungo Park or tribal lands for which coating are submitted . "

“ veto commercial-grade air circuit protects these lands ’ ethnic and spiritual import to the Navajo Nation , ” Park Superintendent Lyn Carranza said in astatement . “ Canyon de Chelly National Monument ’s Air Tour Management Plan honor the unique nation - to - country kinship regarding conclusion affecting the ballpark and helps to uphold one of the most of import archeological landscapes in the southwest . ”

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The area , still lived in by members of the Navajo Nation , has been somewhat much ceaselessly inhabited .

" The Ancient Puebloans ascertain the canyons an ideal plaza to engraft crops and promote phratry . The first settlers built pit house that were then replaced with more advanced homes as more families migrate to the arena , " the NPS explains on theirwebsite . " More household were built in alcoves to take advantage of the sunlight and natural protection . citizenry thrived until the mid-1300 ’s when the Puebloans left the canon to seek better farmlands . "

The Hopi tribe , who descended from the Ancient Puebloans , migrated to the area and produce corn and peach there , before moving W . After this , the Navajo ( or Diné ) settled in the area and continued to farm the land . In all , the canyon have been endlessly occupy for around5,000 years , with the area having a immense cultural significance for the Navajo .

While air tours of the monument will shortly be proscribe , tours of the area will continue , with turn usable with parking area rangers and Navajo guides .